Fall is such a magical time of year! The turning leaves, the beautiful colors and the crisp cool air! It’s also a great time for nature crafts and getting outside to play! One of our favorite ways to spark imagination and creative play in our kids is through fairy gardens. Today, Megan Rigdon, Maryland photographer and mom of three is sharing tips on how to create a fall-themed fairy garden with children! She’s included materials needed, a list of fall flowers that will look beautiful in the magical fall garden, as well as a delicious roasted pumpkin seed recipe for you to make with your little ones!
Children naturally live in the moment and they allow that moment to be what it is, magical and beautiful in every way” -April Peerless
Magical childhood memories
As I look back on my childhood, I have countless memories of times that felt magical! My cousins and I would create forts in my grandparents’ backyard. It did not feel like any old fort, it was a magnificent castle nestled in an enchanted forest. And when we were inside, when my mother would wash my hair in the bathtub, she would have me look way up high at the vent in the ceiling. That’s where the fairies lived! I would imagine the magical world that lived beyond that vent. I would squint my eyes so hard to see if I could see just one of the many fairies that lived up there. The creativity and imagination of little kids have no end!
Keeping the magic alive
When I became a mother myself, I was over the moon excited to create magical memories for children. Fast forward almost ten years. I am now a mom to three children (ages 5, 7, and 9). I absolutely love watching the magic of childhood through their eyes. And I love helping them create and magical places that inspire them to dream. My children enjoy sitting under our evergreen trees and play with their fairy garden that they recreate every summer. We plant a few shade-loving plants and add some fairy accessories to make the garden come to life! They spend hours and hours playing in the charming little garden.
Fall themed fairy garden
Summer quickly came to an end up here and Maryland and we recently welcomed a brand new season. I noticed that our summer plants faded away in the kids’ fairy garden under the evergreen trees. A few weeks ago I asked my children if they would like to create a fall-themed fairy garden. They squealed with excitement and wanted to get started right away!
The children picked out a few large pumpkins at our local family farm stand. We cut a large opening on the top of the pumpkin making sure it was wide enough to allow room for the fairies to play. Then, we scraped out the pumpkin seeds and set them aside in a bowl to make Roasted Pumpkin Seeds later that evening (recipe below). We filled each pumpkin with potting soil to the top and patted it down evenly.
Fall friendly plants
Next, we researched plants that would work well in pots in the fall time. Mums, Pansies, Marigolds, Violas, Celosias, Kale, Asters and Ornamental Peppers are all wonderful choices for a fairy garden in the fall. We had room for just about two plants to be added to each pumpkin. This allowed room for the fairies and some accessories too. The children dug a little hole, placed their plant in it, and patted it down gently. They loved this hands-on activity and the chance to get their hands dirty!
Fairy garden accessories
The hard part was now behind us and they were ready to accessorize their fall fairy garden! This is probably the most fun part of the process for little kids and where you can really see their imagination and creativity coming to life! They get to use natural objects found around the yard and home to decorate and accessorize their fairy garden.
The children found round-shaped rocks and painted them orange with acrylic paint. After the rocks were dry, they drew faces on the orange rocks to make them look like little jack-o-lanterns. My daughter ran over to the cornfield next to our house and picked a cob from the stalk. She pulled the kernels off of the cob and placed them in the soil to make it look like little stepping stones or trails in the garden. They gathered acorns from under our oak tree and pulled some moss that was growing on our patio. So many treasures were found just in our own backyard! The fairies and gnomes can be found at most craft stores.
Fall fairy garden giggles
I sat back and watched them giggle and come up with wonderful stories for their fairies as they explored in their new pumpkin fairy garden. The conversations and questions were priceless and adorable. You could literally see their eyes sparkle and their happiness overflow. My heart felt that same magical joy as I watched them play.
I have always believed in the magic of childhood and think that if you get your life right that magic should never end” – Colin Thompson.
Roasted pumpkin seed recipe
When we cleaned out our pumpkins for the fairy gardens, I reminded my children to save the pumpkin seeds. We made the most delicious Roasted Pumpkin Seeds! To make these seeds, all you need to do is pull the seeds out of the pumpkin and separate them from any pulp. Wash and pat dry the seeds with a paper towel. Then, toss a cup and a half of the seeds in a bowl with two teaspoons of melted butter and a pinch of salt. Stir them up and then spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake them in the oven for about 40 minutes or until golden brown on oven temperature of 300 degrees. Let them cool. Pop them in your mouth and enjoy!
Have you ever made a fall fairy garden?
About the author
Megan Rigdon is a mother to three energetic children and lives on their family farm in Harford County, Maryland. She is a lifestyle family photographer and a lover of joyful and colorful images. Megan has a degree in Early Childhood Education and taught Kindergarten prior to having her own family. They spend as much time as possible outdoors exploring the farm and going on adventures. Raising chickens, fishing, gardening, camping, and crafting are just a few of her favorite things to do with her family.
You can find more from Megan in the following locations:
Professional Instagram: @meganrigdonphotography
Personal Instagram: @megmrigdon
Website: meganrigdonphotography.com
RWMC posts: Megan Rigdon